ANTIQUE & QUAINT Delhi is known not only for its history and relic structures, but also as a veritable storehouse of Antiques as well as Markets to sale/purchase the same. SUNDER NAGAR With its plentiful art and antique shops, the Sunder Nagar market attracts quite a few rich Indian socialites. Its a well-designed market in an upscale neighbourhood, with a great array of silver jewelry, art, textiles, carpets, and antiques. Located off Mathura Road in Central New Delhi, not too far away from Connaught Place, it is close to the zoo and the Oberoi Hotel. Sunder Nagar market is open daily except Sundays. JANPATH MARKET A confirmed destination for any shopper desirous of original antiques or make-belief antiques, Janpath abounds in brass items and Indian artefact. A great place for goods from everywhere in India, the price can vary according to one’s bargaining skills. Located on Janpath, just off Connaught Place, the market is open daily. TIBETAN MARKET A paradise for Tibetan goods, the Tibetan market has a lot of variety in curios and decorative items from Tibet.The items in this market are of great value as a relic or a work of art. The items are vibrantly colourful and skilfully crafted. Next to the Janpath Market, Tibetan market is also open daily. KHAN MARKET Small & U-shaped, Khan Market is considered to be Delhis classiest shopping arena. Not a place for bargain hunters, its got a loyal following of shoppers who go there irrespective of its exorbitant rates. Khan Market is truly contemporary, renowned for its great lounges also. Located close to India Gate, the Khan market is closed only on Sundays. CHANDNI CHOWK A truly historical market, Chandni Chowk has been in existence for hundreds of years. The narrow alleys of Chandni Chowk are divided into bazaars with different areas of specialization. Besides housing varied antique items, it also has Delhis ancient silver market full of silver jewellery. It is also famed for Delhi’s Street Food. Located in Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk is closed only on Sundays. PAHARGANJ The crumbling and chaotic market of Paharganj is a good place to hunt and bargain for unique and inexpensive goods to import back home. Few shops can help one get a good bargain on excellent authentic stuff. Few lanes of this market also connect the shoppers with over 120,000 suppliers from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. Located opposite the New Delhi Railway Station, the Paharganj market is open daily till 9 pm. CURATOR SPEAK Leena Namjoshi is an independent Arts/Crafts and Design Consultant, writes only when inspired. She undertakes Art Projects for different commercial and academic institutes involving artists , craftsmen and designers. Her recent Art Projects being at Taj at Damdama Gateway, Glitterarti at Cyberhub Gurgaon, Art Walk at Grand Hyatt, Goa and “Spring is in the Air” at Select City Walk, Mall, Saket Delhi. leenanamjoshi18@gmail. Delhi with history which dates back to the Mauryan Empire in 300 BC, and recorded evidences as close as 5000 years abound with stories of invasion by Islamic, Moguls, Parsian and British empire. History creates antiques “dated” with associated stories, memories and royalty. These turn into objects of desire and prestige over and above piece de résistance for Art Connoisseurs. Moreover Delhi being central and major tourist destination keeps receiving the queries about sourcing antiques from genuine shops. Since buying and selling antiques aged 100 years or above is prohibited by ASI, it is a very tricky business for private players to sell antiques. Coins, Gems & Jewellery, Furniture, Carpets, Paintings, Clocks, Stamps and Statues are few items on the top list which appeals any antique collector. For all keen on appreciating, owning or being inspired by aged objects D’ art, National museum has a modeling division to create exact replicas of 5000 years old wonders of stone in Plaster of Paris and this comes with a proper detail of age, era, royalty, provenance and other details.While few private players like Sharma Art of Chattarpur or some Sundar Nagar shops & shops in Connaught place and Old Delhi do sell such replicas in metal or polymer, it is more as a decorative showpiece. While Cottage emporium, Indian Crafts Museum and National Museum and National Gallery of Modern Art are some places to have a viewing of research based arts and antiques from academic point of understanding. Caution while buying antiques is a must. It is always advisable to buy from a reputable and licensed shop and retain all documentation authenticated by ASI. An authentic stamp and all related documents help if the goods need to be tracked at a later stage. kensconnect/magazine/magazine.php?folder=106January2015#book5/page34
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 10:52:59 +0000